City councillors in Sault Ste. Marie recently voted to explore the possibility of establishing an "infant surrender site" — a drop box of sorts where desperate mothers or caregivers can abandon their babies. No questions asked, no judgment.
Known as "Hope's Cradle," the idea was triggered by the high-profile death of an Alberta newborn found in a dumpster on Christmas Eve 2017. Canada's first drop-off site — a temperature-controlled bassinet box — was installed at a fire station in Strathmore, and the concept has since spread to Manitoba and to Clarington, Ont.
One of the people who helped create Hope's Cradle, Jordan Guildford, was a recent guest on Village Media's Inside the Village podcast. She explained how the sites work, why they are increasingly necessary, and why people should not be so quick to judge the women who leave their babies behind.
"What we're seeing is a lot of trafficked women and women in abusive situations," she said. "I think it's really easy to villainize the mothers, but I think we need to be grounded in the fact that we cannot understand what they are going through. We just need to meet them where they're at and provide this anonymous option, because all other anonymous options are unsafe."
In the end, Guildford said, the safety of the child should be the top priority.
You can read more about Hope's Cradle HERE. The full podcast episode is HERE.
Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.
Every episode is available HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.
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